Weapon sizes, and number of hands

[Coredump]

One of my players is rolling up a new character. It is a 1/2Orc with a 20 str. He is thinking of using a greatsword, but had some questions.

Mainly he wants to use it one handed....

From my understanding.
He can not use it one handed. I do not even see any way to do it with penalties.

He can use a Large longsword (which does the same damage) in one hand, with a -2 penalty.

He could use both hands on that large longsword, and get the same benefits as using the greatsword in two hands. (2d6 dmg, 1.5xstr)

He could use Monkey Grip to use that large longsword in one hand, with no penalty.

Any feats directed towards greatsword (focus, specialization, etc) would not effect the large longsword. Any feats directed towards a regular longsword, would still apply to the large longsword.


Why does this strike me as really cheesy.

And what is the logic (if any) behind saying he can't use a greatsword one handed, but can use a large longsword to effectively get around that rule.


Thanks

 

[Shin Okada]

He can not use it one handed. I do not even see any way to do it with penalties.

Right.

He can use a Large longsword (which does the same damage) in one hand, with a -2 penalty.

Basically, wrong.

from SRD

Inappropriately Sized Weapons: A ccan'te can’t make optimum use of a weapoisn't isn’t properly sized for it. A cumulative −2 penalty applies on attack rolls for each size category of difference between the size of its intended wielder and the size of its actual wielder. If the creaisn'tsn’t proficient with the weapon a −4 nonproficiency penalty also applies.
The measure of how much effort it takes to use a weapon (whether the weapon is designated as a light, one-handed, or two-handed weapon for a particular wielder) is altered by one step for each size category of difference between twielder's’s size and the size of the creature for which the weapon was designed. If weapon'ss designation would be changed to something other than light, one-handed, or two-handed by this alteration, the creaturecan't wield the weapon at all..

So, a large Longsword is a two-handed weapon for a medium sized wielder.

But Monkey Grip feat (from Complete Warrior) enables him to wield it in one-hand with -2 penalty. And Wield Oversized Weapon epic feat (also from CW) enables him to wield it in one-hand without penalty.

He could use both hands on that large longsword, and get the same benefits as using the greatsword in two hands. (2d6 dmg, 1.5xstr)

Yes. But with -2 penalty.

He could use Monkey Grip to use that large longsword in one hand, with no penalty.

IIRC that is 3.5e rule. Not any more. The current Monkey Grip feat just enables you to "use melee a weapons one size category larger than you are with -2 penalty on the attack roll, but the amount of effort it takes to you to use the weapon does not change." So this feat enables a medium sized character to use a Large Longsword in one hand with -2 penalty. That is all.

Any feats directed towards greatsword (focus, specialization, etc) would not effect the large longsword. Any feats directed towards a regular longsword, would still apply to the large longsword.

Yes,

 

[Hypersmurf]

He can use a Large longsword (which does the same damage) in one hand, with a -2 penalty.

No. He can use a Large longsword (which does the same damage) in two hands, with a -2 penalty.

"The measure of how much effort it takes to use a weapon (whether the weapon is designated as a light, one-handed, or two-handed weapon for a particular wielder) is altered by one step for each size category of difference between the wielder’s size and the size of the creature for which the weapon was designed."

A longsword is a one-handed weapon. For a Medium creature and a Large longsword, we alter that one-handed by one step, to two-handed.

He could use Monkey Grip to use that large longsword in one hand, with no penalty.

No. He could use Monkey Grip to use that large longsword in one hand, at a -2 penalty.

Monkey Grip removes the "alter by one step" rule, so he treats the Large longsword as a one-handed weapon. However, he still takes the -2.

EDIT - or, in other words, what Shin Okada said

-Hyp.